Internal-combustion engine



May 5, 1930- y l v. E. A. BELANGER 1,756,968

INTERNAL COMBUSTI ON ENGINE Filed Aug. 24. 1926 :rf/.4 ff @.5

ORNE- Patented May 6, 1930 UNITED STATES VICTOR E. A. BELANGER, F MONTREAL, QUEBEC, CANADA Application med August 24, 1926'. serial No. 131,139.

This invention relates to internal combustion engines. An object of the invention is to provide an internal combustion engine wherein is embodied a simple and cheaply constructed means of operatively connecting oppositely opposed pistons lworking in a common cylinder, to a common driving member.

A further object of the invention to provide an internal combustion comprising oppositely opposed pistons working in a common cylinder in combination with a valve operating mechanism particularly adapted to this type of internal combustion engine.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, .and

, to the appended claims in which the various 3G novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

Fig. 1 of the drawings, is a longitudinal vertical central sectional View of my im proved internal combustion engine. y

Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken on'the line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal vertical sectional view illustrating in particu- Y lar a modification of my improved internal combustion engine.

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary vertical sectional View illustrating in particular another modication of my improved device.

My invention relates particularly t`o nternal combustion engines of the type in which the pistons 10 and 11 working incommon cylinders-12 are operatively connected by means of connecting rods 13 and 14 re- 0 spectively, to the lower crank shaft 15 and to the upper crank shaft 16. The pistons 10 and 11 working toward each other so as to form a combustion space 17 between the said pistons 10 and 11, and working away from each other after the intake charge has been exploded.

I am aware of the fact that internal combustion engines, of the type as above described and set forth, have been manufactured and marketed, and I therefore have no desire or intention to claim the above as new and novel. l

As here embodied my improvements in internal combustion engines comprises a rod 18, positioned in the same plane as the pistons 10 and 11, connected at its lower and upper extremities, as at 19 and 20 by means of suitable 'bearings and bearing caps, to the throws 21 and 22 respectively of the lower crank shaft 15 and the upper crank shaft B0 16, so as to transmit the power from the upper crank shaft 16 to the lower crank shaft 15. so as to rotate or drive a clutch and transmission shaft when the gears of the transn mission 23 are suitably meshed by means of 65 the gear shift lever 24. The latter described elements being those commonly used in combination with internal combustion engines such as ordinarily used in motor vehicles and the like. It being understood that I do not necessarily limit my invention to this particular type of driving mechanism. having illustrated same only to convey the application of my invention in general. y Referring in particular to F ig. 2 of the 75 accompanying drawings, the above described common cylinders 12 are offset so as to provide lower cylinders 25 and upper cylinders 26, which does not increase the cost ofmanufacture, inasmuch as the said cylinders 25 80 and 26 could be machined simultaneously.

This arrangement, however, renders the combining of the rotary movement of the lupper crank shaft 16 with the rotarymovement of the lower crank shaft 15 more con- 85 venient. It should be understood that the rod 18 connects the two crank shafts together and that it moves upwardly and downwardly during the rotation of the crank shafts. The center lines of theupper and lowery crank '90 shafts are -in vertical-alignment with the center lines of the upper and lower pistons respectively, and thus the center lines of the two crank shafts are not in vertical alignment with eachother but are in different spaced apart vertical planes. This results inan offset relation which requires that the connecting member 18 be of greater length than the vertical distance betweenfthe tworshafts so that' when the upper end of the connecting 10U member 18 is in its uppermost position the lower end of said member is also in its uppermost position but the ends are not in the same vertical plane with each other such as they would be if the cylinders were not offset. That is to say, the endsY of the member 18 are not directly above each other in vertical alignment. As a result of the non-vertical alignment of the ends of the connecting member 18, when the cranks are in their uppermost position, furtherjrotation of the upper crank does not result in a directly downward vertical thrust on the lower crank and a smoother running connection is accordingly. obtained. It is also true thatwhen the engine is started rotation of the lower crank does not result in a directly downward vertical pull on the upper crank and thus starting of the engine is rendered easier.

lVthV further reference to Fig. 2 of the accompanying drawings, the cam shaft 27 having cams 28 integral with or attached thereto, is driven by a suitable means, such as a gear, chain, or the like. The rocket arm 28 is pivotally attached, at or near its center to any convenient part of the internal combustion engines, by means of a support 29, a rod, tube, or the like, and has rotatively attached at its lower extremity, as at 30, rollers 31 in contact with the cams 28 which are maintained by a spring 32 positioned so as to effect the above stated requirement. The rocker arms 28 have threadedly attached, at their upper extremities, as at 33, adjustable members 34 in contact with the valve stems 85 of the valves 36, so as to secure the proper clearance or setting of the valves or rocker arms. The valves 36 are located adjacenty to and are communicative with the above mentioned combustion space 17, and are horizontally disposed, or at relative right angles to the said pistons 10 and 11. zObviously, I have thus provided a means of eliminating excessive dead combustion space.

Referring in particular to Fig. 3 ofthe accompanying drawings, in which I have illustrated a modification of my improved internal combustion engine, the above mentioned throws 21 and 22 of the crank shafts 15 and 16 are relatively angularly positioned to the connecting rods 13 and 14, which is advantageous and desirable in internal combustion engines of the class described, when an advanced spark setting is employed, as is common when maximum power is desired, such as in racing cars, and the like.

Referring in particular to Fig. 4 of the accompanying drawings, in which I have illustrated a further modification of my improved internal combustion engine, the lower crank shaft 15 has attachedthereto a pulley 40, the upper crank shaft 16, has attached thereto apulleyY 41, preferably of considerable weight so as to act as a fly-wheel, for absorbing shock and producing an even rotation of the crank shaft 16. The pullers 40 and 41 may be operatively connected by a belt 42.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States is as follows:

1. In an internal combustion engine, a plurality of vertical cylinders having upper and lower open ends, the bore of said cylinders at one end being offset relative to the bore at the other ends thereof, upper and lower crank cases adjacent the upper Yand lower ends of said cylinders, upper and lower crank shafts disposed in said crank cases in vertical alignment with said upper and lower cylinders respectively, pistons mounted in the upper and lower ends of said cylinders, a plurality of connecting rods attached at one end to said upper and lower pistons and at their othery ends to said upper and lower crank shafts respectively, and a connecting rod journaled at one end to a crank-portion on said upper crankshaft and at the other end to a crank portion on said lower crank shaft, said connecting rod adapted to be disposed in inclined position when either of the said crank portions are in their uppermost positions.

2. In an internal combustion engine, a plurality of vertical. cylinders, oppositely disposed pistons within each cylinder, upper and lower rotatable crank shafts, a plurality of connecting rods connecting said pistons to said crank shafts, a connecting rod centrally arranged in respect to said cylinders adapted to engage the upper crank shaft at one end and the lower crank shaft at its other end.

8. In an internal combustion engine, a plurality of vertical cylinders, oppositely disposed pistons within each cylinder, upper and lower rotatable crank shafts carrying connecting rods connecting each of said pistons to one of said crank shafts, and a lconnecting rod centrally arranged in :respect to said cylinders journaled at one end to the center of the crank portion on said upper crank shaft and at the other end to thecenter of a crank portion on said lower crank shaft, said connecting rod adapted to be disposed in inclined position when either of the said crank'portions are in their uppermost positions.

In testimony whereof I have aiiiXed my signature.

VICTOR VE. A. BELANGER. 

